Julian Assange hailed as he walks free after agreeing to plead guilty to espionage charges in US

LONDON, ENGLAND: Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been freed from Belmarsh prison after he agreed to plead guilty in exchange for release. Assange has left the UK after boarding a flight from Stansted Airport at 5 pm on June 24.

Assange will plead guilty to an Espionage Act charge of conspiring to unlawfully obtain and disseminate classified national defense information in a deal with the United States Department of Justice, potentially ending his years-long standoff with the country.

Julian Assange set to appear in federal court in Mariana Islands

Julian Assange will appear in a federal court in the Mariana Islands, a US commonwealth in the Western Pacific later this week. A recent DOJ filing indicates that the proceedings in the Mariana Islands are set for June 26, where Assange is expected to plead guilty.

The US charges against Assange are linked to what is considered one of the largest leaks of classified information in American history, occurring during President Barack Obama's first term. Assange allegedly conspired with Chelsea Manning, a military intelligence analyst, to leak tens of thousands of reports concerning the Afghanistan war.

The documents comprised unredacted US diplomatic cables that could have jeopardized confidential sources, significant activity reports related to the Iraq war, and details concerning Guantanamo Bay detainees.

Julian Assange could evade incarceration in US

According to the documents, these leaks spanned from approximately 2009 to 2011. The disclosed information was made available on Julian Assange's WikiLeaks website, according to the Independent.

The recent agreement will enable Assange to evade incarceration in the US. The prosecutors intend to propose a 62-month sentence, which corresponds to the duration he has already spent at Belmarsh, a high-security prison in London, during his extradition battle to the US.

Assange secured the right to challenge an extradition order after his defense contended that the US government's assurances regarding his free speech rights, should he be extradited from the UK, were grossly insufficient.

A WikiLeaks post revealed that Assange was released from Belmarsh after spending 1,901 days there, and subsequently took a flight from Stansted airport.

“This is the result of a global campaign that spanned grass-roots organizers, press freedom campaigners, legislators and leaders from across the political spectrum, all the way to the United Nations. This created the space for a long period of negotiations with the US Department of Justice, leading to a deal that has not yet been formally finalized,” the statement read.

“After more than five years in a 2x3 meter cell, isolated 23 hours a day, he will soon reunite with his wife Stella Assange, and their children, who have only known their father from behind bars,” it further read.

The statement went on, “WikiLeaks published groundbreaking stories of government corruption and human rights abuses, holding the powerful accountable for their actions. As editor-in-chief, Julian paid severely for these principles, and for the people’s right to know."

"As he returns to Australia, we thank all who stood by us, fought for us, and remained utterly committed in the fight for his freedom. Julian’s freedom is our freedom,” it concluded.

Footage released by WikiLeaks showed Assange boarding a jet at Stansted Airport prior to his departure.

Before his incarceration at Belmarsh, Assange took sanctuary in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in 2012, where he was granted political asylum following a decision by British courts to extradite him to Sweden for an assault investigation.

Julian Assange's years-long standoff with US ends

Julian Assange was arrested by British police after the Ecuadorian government revoked his asylum in 2019. He was then imprisoned for breaching bail conditions when he sought refuge in the embassy.

The Swedish authorities eventually abandoned their investigation into alleged sex crimes due to the passage of time. Assange's family and supporters have stated that his physical and mental health have deteriorated significantly over more than ten years of legal struggles.

Should a federal judge approve the proposed plea agreement, it would acknowledge the time Assange has already served, potentially enabling his immediate return to Australia, his country of birth.

Assange is celebrated by many globally as a champion who exposed military misconduct in Iraq and Afghanistan.

WikiLeaks released several documents, including footage of a 2007 Apache helicopter assault by US forces in Baghdad that resulted in the deaths of 11 individuals, among them two journalists from Reuters. However, his image has been marred by accusations of assault, which he has consistently refuted.

The plea agreement follows months after President Joe Biden indicated he was contemplating a request from Australia to cease the US effort to prosecute Assange.

Manning received a 35-year prison sentence for violating the Espionage Act and other charges related to leaking classified government and military documents to WikiLeaks.

Her sentence was commuted by President Obama in 2017, which led to her release after approximately seven years in prison.

Internet hails Julian Assange as 'hero' after release from UK prison

Social media users expressed their support and happiness over Julian Assange's release from UK prison.

One user said, "OMG. I just got chills. This is fantastic. What a momentous day!! I hope Julian Assange is well and safe. I look forward to hearing more from him and hope his voice is loud and clear on X. Next needs to be @Snowden"

Another user added, "I'm shaking with excitement. This will ROCK THE WORLD TO ITS CORE! Mathew 5:10 Blessed are those persecuted for being righteous for theirs is the Kingdom of HEAVEN!!!! YOU DID IT JULIAN!!!"

The third commentator wrote, "I cannot express how happy this makes me. Genuine euphoria. God bless him and his beautiful family "

"Julian Assange is a hero who still deserves a full pardon and medals for exposing regime war crimes. We won’t rest until he gets them," a person stated.

One supporter of Assange said, "Finally, This’s a win for Humanity."

"One of our generations greatest heroes. Thank God he is coming home," a fan dubbed him as a "hero."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.